QUICK SPECS

Features: • Seamless interior • Molded insole • Contoured foot bed • Mid-foot support system • Full leather breathable MSRP: $95.00

The Skinny: From the makers of the do-everything Swiss Army Knife comes a new line of footwear which pretty much only do one thing (be shoes), but they do it well.

The Good: I took to the rugged terrain of a disc golf course in Illinois, which is hardly the Alps, but that's about as extreme a situation as my feet could find in the Midwest. The Monchs were light, breathable, and comfortable, so they wore more like tennis shoes than traditional hiking boots. And when an errant drive led me into a marshy hazard, they handled it like champs. I ended up popping off the socks for the last few holes and they almost felt better barefoot. Added bonus: I won the round. And you know what Spike Lee says.

The Bad: The inner material made my socks turn pink when they got wet. But that's OK, because my other pink socks are getting old. So think twice before wearing your good toe socks to break them in. 

Still Awaiting the Shoe Knife... I was really hoping that shoes from the company that makes Swiss Army Knives would have at least one hidden tool. Like a toothpick in the aglet (the plastic thingy on the end of the shoelace) or a bottle opener in the heel. Oh well. At least the Swiss cross on the back lets nature know you are just a neutral visitor and not invading.

The Verdict: Nine toes up! I'm keeping one down only because I was forced into that ever-perplexing choice of washing my whites or buying new socks. They're on the pricey side at $95, but if you want to invest in a good pair of trail shoes that you can wear among humanity instead of only miles away from it, Wengers are the perfect fit.

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Salomon XT Wings WP
These are killers on the mountain but can run on any surface—except water. (Sorry, Jesus!) Testers bombed Catskill trails and city bridges and gave high marks to the XT Wings’ “super-solid” motion control system and shock absorption. The tieless Kevlar Quickfit lacing system seemed “Star Trekky” to one tester, but he came around. “I’m ready for the future,” he says.
$140, salomonsports.com

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The last time I got a new pair of soccer cleats I tore my left ACL half an hour into the first match in which I used them.  So after some trepidation and a karmic gut-check I went out in search of grass in Manhattan upon which to trudge and test Nomis' football boots (henceforth "soccer/cleats" shall be referred to as "football/boots"). Finding grass to play on in Manhattan is not a straightforward proposition - Central park pick-ups games don't allow studs and most soccer fields use artificial turf. Eventually I made my way to the western extremity of the island to Riverbank State Park on the Hudson and discovered a large uneven muddy patch. Not much unlike Wigan Athletic's pitch.

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